ANTS Procedures

1. To Start a New Award
Log into ANTS by double-clicking on the ANTS Shortcut on the desktop, or by going to U:\Bus_Serv/Awards/Awards6.mdb and doubleclicking the Awards6.mdb file.
1. Verify Vendor Number
1. Verify the Vendor Number is set up in the ANTS database.
2. Click on LOOK UP and Vendor by Number
3. For ANTS, drop all leading zeros of CUFS Vendor Number listed on RX. (For example, 0000004435-0 in CUFS would be 44350 in ANTS).
4. Enter vendor number in the field provided by the 'Look Up Vendor by Number' option.
5. If no vendor information comes up, go to New Award Vendor and enter the appropriate information.
6. If vendor information does display, cross check it against RX and the CUFS information.
7. If there is no vendor number in CUFS, see the New Vendor Setup Procedure.
2. Verify ILOC
1. Verify ILOC code on the RX is set up correctly in ANTS.
2. The ILOC code should ALWAYS be cross-checked with the ILOC code and information listed in CUFS. If there is ever a difference in the information, assume the CUFS information is more up to date. This is why it is important to check all information against CUFS.
3. Enter the ILOC code in the field displayed when you click the 'New Award ILOC' button.
4. If no ILOC information displays, enter the information from the CUFS ILOC table into ANTS.
3. Keying in the Award
1. Click on the 'New Award' Button to go to the first half of the award data entry screen.
2. Enter the Area Number. The next available PO number will automatically be entered for you.
3. It is critical to write this number down on the bottom of the RX. If you forget to do this, you will have to enter all the information again.
4. Go through the field and enter all information needed, including the tracking (expiration/ renewal) information. (Be sure to use the four digit format for the year - 2000. The system defaults two digit years to 1900s.)
5. The tracking information is provided by the buyer. The buyer notes this information on the RX or other documents. This will be the expiration date of the award, the pull date for requesting renewal letters and the number of options to renew remaining.
   • If this information is not provided, discuss with buyer.
   • The default Pull Date is set for 60 days, use this date unless the buyer requests you key an alternate date, or unless the Award is a one-time order.
   • Do not leave the number of options remaining blank.
   • See also Ants Reports procedures for more details.
6. Adding Text to the Award
1. When all info is entered, click the 'Enter Award Text' button at the bottom of the Data Entry Screen.
2. At the top of the Award Text Entry Screen, enter the PO number (without the area number) that was provided at the start. This was written on the RX after it was assigned.
3. Click in the text box and enter the necessary text for the award.
4. Be aware that to start a new paragraph, push 'Ctrl' & 'Enter' keys together.
5. When the award text is entered, click the Display Award Notice button - see below in F.
7. Tracking Information
The buyer will provide the following tracking information on the RX or other documents that will be merged into the renewal letters later. Do not leave any tracking information fields blank.
1. Expiration Date: date the award will no longer be valid
2. Pull Date: date the award will pull onto the ANTS Monthly Reports to generate the renewal letters to departments and vendors.
3. TGB: Yes/No field to identify whether there are any TGB issues to be reviewed by the buyer prior to renewal. This is rarely used.
4. Insurance: Yes/No field to identify requirement for insurance necessary at renewal time. Not used very often. If yes, enter the record into CITS and hold the award unless instructed otherwise by the buyer. Also see CITS for details.
5. # of Renewals: This identifies the number of renewals available for the department to optionally use. Do not leave this blank. Be sure this gets updated after issuing a change order to extend so the renewal information will be accurate at the new expiration date.
*For ONE-TIME ORDERS:
• Set the Expiration date for the expiration of the actual order.
• Set the Pull Date for Today's Date - this is so these one-time orders are not pulled in the monthly reporting of ANTS.
• In the Renewal Issues textbox, type:
  "DO NOT RENEW. ONE TIME ORDER."
• Make sure the # of Renewal Options Available is set to "0".
8. Finishing the Award
1. Click the 'Display Award Notice' button to bring up all the information on the same page as a preview, click pull date at the bottom of award preview.
2. Click the save button at the bottom of the page again and then click the print button to print a copy.
3. Click the quit button when finished, to get back to the main menu.
4. Make copies of any attachments to be enclosed with the order. This will be identified by the buyer circling the information or x'ing the page(s).
5. Clip the order to the front of the RX/Bid Folder and have buyer sign the order.
6. Verify the vendor and department fax numbers are listed. If not, research to see if you can locate the number for the faxer.
7. Follow the same faxing and closing processes as the POT document. See also Purchase Order in CUFS procedures.
8. All Awards must incorporate the Award Terms and Conditions and any required flowdown clause information. See Terms and Conditions Grid for Purchasing Documents.
9. If the Award Notice or any of the attached documents have Confidential Information, the Award Notice also needs to be labeled Confidential. See Confidential Procedures for more details.
4. To Change an Award
1. Click on the 'Look Up Award Notice' Button
2. Enter the award number without the area number (example: to look up award 296-2400, only enter 2400 into the field that appears). The award will display.
3. Make any necessary changes in text, amount of award, expiration date, number of renewals, and any other information.
4. In the Text Area use this format for Change Orders:
   (Today's Date) Change Order (Change order #) Insert Change Order Instructions from buyer. This is the (current option) of (number of options) to renew.

5. Change the initials in the dropdown list to reflect who made the most recent changes.
6. Be sure the tracking information is updated as directed by buyer.
7. If the buyer cancels the award, the award expires, or is non-renewable, change the # of Renewal Options Available to "0", and change the Pull Date to Today's Date - this will prevent the order from being pulled in the monthly report in the future.
8. When all info is changed, click the 'Save current settings' button at the bottom of the page.
9. Then click the print button at the bottom of the page to print a copy of the revised award.
5. POT Tracking (Non B-Award Notices)
Another use of the ANTS system is to track time period POT documents. POTs are issued from CUFS, but there is no tracking option available in CUFS. After the POT is issued in CUFS and printed for issuing, the POT information is entered into ANTS so it will be included in the monthly reports on any expiring orders.
1. Follow the process for entering a new award notice.
2. NBA (Non-Blanket Award): Key in YES.
3. POT/PC#: Key in the POT number (with Area#) that was issued from CUFS.
4. The first sentence of the text should read: (FOR TRACKING PURPOSES ONLY, THIS IS A POT #67320000034)
5. Complete the tracking information as usual.
6. Make sure the POT # and the Tracking B Award Notice Number are both cross referenced on the RX / Bid folder.
6. Multiple Awards
If the RX/Bid will be awarded to multiple vendors or you have multiple RX/Bids with almost all the same information, consider issuing multiple awards instead of key each one individually.
1. Begin the order as directed above in "To Start a New Award"
2. Complete the Data Entry Screen for the first award. At the bottom of the screen this will display as Record 1.
3. At Record 1, click on the small right arrow to advance to Record 2. This will display a blank data entry screen for the next award.
4. Press Control + Apostrophe (') keys together. This works like a copy function and copies the data you entered in Record 1 and pastes it into Record 2. Make any necessary changes that might be needed from Record 1.
5. This same process does not work well for the text area. To enter text, key the first record text.
6. Copy the text and paste it into Record 2, Record 3, etc.
7. Save as usual
7. Troubleshooting for Award Notices
For tracking expiration dates always use the full year when entering the date. For example: expiration date: 06/30/2002
1. Award not displaying:

A previously entered and printed award may suddenly not display. This is usually due to a missing Vendor or ILOC code. From time to time, ANTS is updated with Vendor and ILOC information or some vendors and ILOC codes are deleted as no longer valid. When this happens the system can not find all of the information to display the award. If this happens, click on the "Binocular" icon to add in the missing information. The award will then display.
2. Data Entry screen goes blank:

Check the Record # at the bottom of the screen. It is easy to accidentally click onto Record 2. Try using the left arrow to return to Record 1. Your award should now display.
3. Text does not display:

Search for the text. Put in a test word and save text. Re-search for text. It should now display. In most cases the original text based on the printed award document should be keyed back in.
4. Error Message - System Not Accessible:

Check with other PA's to see who is signed into ANTS. Sometimes, the system will not allow more than one person signed into ANTS at a time.

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Last Revised: May 2, 2002
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